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How do you change your instagram account to business


How to Set Up an Instagram Business Profile

When Instagram first launched, personal and businesses had a single Instagram profile format. There were no bells and whistles, just a basic bio and your Instagram feed.

Social media really does change quickly, because in 2016, Instagram introduced business profiles. And since then, the new profile has introduced a new way of social marketing.

And the benefits of Instagram business profiles have been significant.

Since the start of business profiles, contact buttons were born, Instagram shopping became more prominent, the platform launched its own analytics. And now everyone, from corporations to startups to influencers, has an Instagram business profile.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand why you should consider an Instagram business profile and how to set up one up.  Let’s get started!

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Why create an Instagram business profile?

If you’re a brand looking to create a following on Instagram and use the platform strategically, you need an Instagram business profile. That’s because there are features to a business profile that that improve usability as a brand.

Let’s dive into a few of the biggest benefits of using an Instagram business profile versus a basic personal profile.

1. You’re taken more seriously

Take a look at the differences between the two Instagram profiles below. You’ll probably notice a few of key differences.

Ignoring that fact that our Sprout Social business profile has Story Highlights and my personal profile doesn’t (that feature is available on all profiles), what Instagram business profiles have that personal profiles don’t include:

  • An industry/niche
  • An address
  • A contact button right on the profile.

Having more information and a quick contact button gives your business profile a more professional look. And it offers even more ways for your audience to get in touch with you.

Because the differences between the two types are so obvious, Instagram users can automatically tell when a profile is for a business or content creator, and it provides a greater sense of trust.

Another way to build trust is to post and engage consistently on Instagram. But publishing content and engaging with your audience are just two parts of an Instagram marketing strategy. Download our comprehensive guide to learn how to reach your goals on Instagram.

2. You get access to analytics

This is a big one. Switching to an Instagram business account gives you the ability to access built-in insights about your account and its performance.

You’re able to take a look at your post performance, follower activity and audience insights. While this information isn’t extremely in-depth, it’s a great glance at your account success and can give you a basic understanding of how well your content is doing.

And for more details on your analytics, you can always take advantage of Sprout Social‘s analytics options.

3. You can add links to your Instagram Stories

Instagram is infamous for its inability to link directly to blog posts and landing pages from your posts, hence the popularity of “link in bio” and tools designed to collect all your recent or important links on one Instagram-accessible page. However, accounts that have more than 10,000 followers gain access to swipe up links within Instagram Stories, but only if that account is an Instagram business profile.

While it might take awhile to get your Instagram account to 10,000 followers, if you create a successful Instagram strategy, you’ll be linking content in your Stories in no time. Using Story links is a great way to highlight your latest content, highlight short-term deals or resurface timely content and products based on what’s trending.

4. You can take advantage of Instagram advertising

Instagram ads and promoted posts are created through Facebook’s ads manager, which means you must have an Instagram business profile that is attached to your Facebook Page to be able to create Instagram ad campaigns.

To help generate leads, increase conversions and get to that 10,000 follower threshold more quickly, your brand should be taking advantage of Instagram advertising. If you’re struggling to increase your reach and overcome some of the challenges brands face from the Instagram algorithm, paid ads can help you target key audiences.

5. You can schedule your posts ahead of time

Another major Instagram update that’s now a few years old, but had significant value for marketers was the ability for users to automatically schedule their posts instead of having to just schedule a reminder to manually post content.

However, the ability to use a third party tool like Sprout Social to schedule your content ahead of time is only available with Instagram business profiles.

So if you want to make your social media management easier, do yourself (and your marketing team as a whole) a favor and switch to an Instagram business account. With a tool like Sprout, you’ll be able to get a more complete picture of your upcoming content calendar and it will be easier for everyone who contributes to this content to collaborate.

6. You can tag products in your posts

Finally, another great perk that’s only available to business accounts is the ability to turn your feed into an online shop.

Tagging products and turning photos into shoppable posts is a great way to open an entirely new revenue stream for your brand, but you have to switch to or set up your profile as a business account first. Considering that 46% of users make a purchase after seeing a product on Instagram, and even more do further research on that product after viewing, it makes sense to facilitate this type of browsing as much as possible.

How to switch to an Instagram business account

Now that you know the benefits, are you ready to switch your account over to an Instagram business profile? Let’s walk you through the process so you can start taking advantage of these great perks.

Step 1: Go to your Instagram account settings

Go to your profile, then tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner of the app. Tap Settings and then tap Account to get started.

Step 2: Switch to Instagram professional account

Once in the account settings, you’ll see a blue call-to-action at the bottom of the page for you to Switch to Professional Account.

Tap that to move forward with your big switch.

Step 3: Choose a Business account

Selecting Business will allow you to start gathering impressions, reach, and video views within your reporting insights, as well as schedule content ahead of time using third party tools like Sprout Social.

Instagram recently rolled out a new type of business account – an Instagram creator account. These are more specifically for influencers, public figures or other types of content producers, whereas a business account is better for brands and businesses that sell a product or service.

This is a part of Instagram’s effort to further separate influencers and businesses, making it more obvious for its users when a partnership is an influencer promotion rather than an ad.

The tools surrounding a creator account are slightly different from those accessible in a Business account, but they were created with influencer marketing in mind. There are also more features surrounding messaging and profile flexibility.

The core business profile features are still available, including shoppable posts. This means influencers will be able to tag the products they’re recommending directly within their Instagram posts, offering even more streamlined shopping for all parties involved.

If you plan to partner with businesses as an influencer, you’ll want to create an Instagram creator account. If not, including if you plan to partner with influencers to promote your products or services, you’ll want to create an Instagram business account.

Step 4: Connect your Facebook Page

If you’re moving forward in creating or switching to a business profile, your next step is to connect your Facebook Page. You must have admin access to your business Facebook Page to take this action.

Once you confirm which Facebook Page you want to connect, your business profile is ready to go!

If you’re switching to a creator profile, all you need to do is select a category for the type of creator you are.

How to switch back to a personal Instagram account

If you decide an Instagram business or creator account isn’t for you, it’s possible (and extremely easy) to revert right back to a personal account.

You can also switch between business and creator accounts to find the one that makes the most sense for your brand.

All you have to do is head right back to your account settings, and this time the blue Switch to Professional Account call-to-action will be replaced with two different options: Switch to Personal Account or Switch to Creator Account.

Start taking advantage of Instagram business profile tools

Ready to ramp up your Instagram marketing strategy? By switching over to an Instagram business profile, you gain access to so many more great brand tools and perks, allowing you to really wow your audience on the platform.

To learn even more about the power of Instagram for your business, check out our guide to organic Instagram strategies that work.

How to Set Up a Business Profile on Instagram

Wondering how to switch to a business profile on Instagram? Maybe it’s the lure of running Instagram ads or the ability to add links to Instagram Stories?

Whatever your reason, making the switch to an Instagram business profile is super easy!

Ready to get started?

In the following post, we explain exactly how you can can create your own business profile on Instagram in just 3 easy steps:

If you’re still on the fence about switching to a business profile on Instagram, check out our blog post where we compare the pros and cons of having an Instagram business profile!

#1: Create a Facebook Page for Your Business

In order to switch to a business profile on Instagram, your business must have an active Facebook Page. Luckily, you can set up a Facebook business Page in a matter of minutes!

If you already have a Facebook Page, you can skip to the next step. But if you’re starting from scratch and want to learn more about the benefits of an Instagram business profile, stay tuned!

We have a quick video guide to getting set up and it explains everything you stand to gain by making the switch:

Start by opening Facebook and clicking on “Create Page” from the dropdown menu.

Next, select your business category and give a name to your Page. Your Page name can be your business name or another name that people may search for to find your business.

Upload a profile photo and a cover photo that best represents your business. You can use your logo as your profile photo, or even an image of your store or products.

And that’s it! Your business’ Facebook Page is now live!

Keep in mind that it’s a good idea to spruce up your Facebook Page before you connect it your Instagram business profile. At the very least, you should add a description and call-to-action that directs your Page visitors to do something, like visit your website or call your store.

#2: Connect Your Facebook Page to Instagram

In order to switch to a business profile, start by logging into your Instagram account and navigating to your profile.

Next, tap the “gear” icon in the top right corner of the screen to access your account settings.

From here, tap “Switch to Business Profile,” and then “Continue” to connect to Facebook.

Make sure your profile is set to Public! If your profile is currently set to Private on Instagram, you won’t be able to switch to a business profile.

Tap “Continue As” to connect the Facebook Page. If you don’t see your business’ Facebook Page as an option, make sure that you’re listed as an admin in the settings menu.

Once the correct Facebook Page appears, select it and tap “Next.”

#3: Set Up Your Business Profile on Instagram

Next, you’ll be prompted to add your contact information, including a phone number, physical address, or email so that customers can get in touch.

Once everything looks good, tap “Done.” 

That’s it! Now that you have a business profile on Instagram, you’ll get access to a ton of new features, including the ability to view your Instagram Insights and promote your Instagram posts, all from within the app! 

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how to do it (4 steps + instructions)

To make selling on Instagram more convenient and efficient, the social network has introduced a special profile format for companies — a business account. The transition to it is available to absolutely all users. I'll walk you through how to connect and set it up step by step - as well as what features it provides and how they help sales.

A business account is a type of Instagram profile created for business promotion and analytics on the social network.

How to connect

If you logged in through a PC, then you need to make just a few clicks to connect a business account. In the settings, find the "Switch to a professional account" item, then select the "Company" sub-item. Follow the prompts: specify the category of your business and set up its display in the profile.

Connecting a business account in a PC browser

How to switch to another category? Easy peasy! To do this, go to your Instagram profile page and click "Edit Profile". In the “Profile Information” section, select “Category” and change it to any other that is relevant to you.

Change the category at any time

Switching to a business account from a smartphone is also easy: select "Account" from the settings menu, scroll to the end of the list that opens and click "Change account type". The further algorithm is the same as on a PC: read the tips, find the appropriate category and confirm your choice.

Setting up from a smartphone

You will also be offered to integrate your Facebook. This can be done immediately, or at any other time. The condition is now optional, but the integration will greatly expand your opportunities for positioning your business on social networks. By the way, on Facebook it should also be not just a personal, but a corporate page.

Completing settings

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Related:
Instagram Design (25 Cool Profiles + Examples) Instagram Photo Editing: Top Applications + Examples

Features

So, you have switched to a commercial profile. And you will definitely want to immediately try out all the new features and chips. Then I will give a brief overview of the settings and advantages that distinguish an Instagram business account.

1. Profile category

The instagram business profile allows you to display the subject of your page. In addition to the inscriptions “brand” and “personal blog”, which are now quite common, you can put any other profession or topic, for example: musician, politician, clothing store, cafe, bar, etc. This is important because it attracts the attention of your target audience.

Categories

As advertising

2. Communication buttons

For this setting, please fill in the contact details first. Add them to the fields: email, phone, address. Then the action buttons will become available, and they are implemented through integration with third-party applications for business. You will be able to place, for example, an online registration form or online payment. It will look like "Call", "Register", "Order delivery", etc.

A business account makes it easier for users to contact you. For example, when you click on the "Call" button, the phone number automatically appears on the mobile dialing screen, that is, you do not need to copy it to the phone's memory, open the desired section, paste it - everything is done in one click.

Communication buttons

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3. Statistics

Various statistics can be viewed for a business profile. So you get the opportunity to track the reaction of subscribers to a particular content, analyze the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, contests, etc.

Statistics exist both for the profile in general and for individual publications and stories. This feature is useful not only for selling accounts, but also for personal brands.

Statistics
Profile statistics

On a business account on Instagram, you need to click on the “Menu” section on the profile page. Then select "Statistics". Switching between tabs here you can see:

  1. Number of profile visits, site clicks, reach rates;
  2. Information about publications for the week;
  3. Subscriber information: number of subscribers/unsubscribers, subscriber locations, gender, age.
Profile statistics

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Publication statistics

In addition to general statistics, track reactions to individual publications. To do this, on the profile page, select any photo or video and click "View statistics" under the publication.

The number of likes, comments, shares and saves of the selected publication will appear in the window. In addition, the total number of actions performed with this post and the number of transitions to the profile are calculated here.

Publication statistics

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Stories statistics

You can access the statistics of stories from the already familiar section “Menu” -> “Statistics” -> “Content”. Next, you need to find the “History” section. From here, the coverage of each story is available. Clicking on any post will open more detailed statistics, where you can even find out exactly who viewed your story.

History statistics

Related:
Business on Instagram: from scratch in 13 stepsInstagram engagement: what it is + how to increase

4. Promotion and targeting

Instagram has its own functionality to promote your publications. It works in such a way that it allows you to show your posts to the target audience, advertise your profile or drive traffic from Instagram to some external resource. This is more effective than simple cheats, although you will need cash investments for this tool.

Promotion

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Related:
Advertising in Instagram stories: step by step instructions How to make a mask on Instagram: simple instructions

5. Shopping Tags

Shopping Tags allow the audience to view your product cards, read the description, find out the price, go directly to the desired section of the online store. This feature has a positive effect on the growth of sales.

Shopping Tags

Interesting. I also recommend using multilink. It will help to create a full-fledged online store, as well as contact you via instant messengers.

6. Physical address

If you sell goods not only online, but also offline, you are probably often asked how to find you in order to buy a service or product. Business accounts allow you to post exact addresses and hours of operation with access to view the address on a map.

Physical address

7. Additional lead magnet

Posting an address may not be relevant to you if, for example, you do not offer your services offline. Then this place can be used to place an additional lead magnet. The address bar allows you to place a fairly large amount of information, which is very useful in cases where a profile description and biography is not enough.

Lead magnet

Briefly about the main thing

The business profile is relevant not only for selling pages or instagram landings: its wide range of features will find its use even if you do not sell anything.

One of the most compelling reasons to switch to a business profile is free access to statistics that will show, for example, which posts turned out to be the most interesting. And finally, I will briefly list the main advantages:

  • Ability to categorize accounts;
  • Access to profile statistics;
  • Convenient communication with users;
  • Possibility of running a full-fledged online store;
  • Ability to promote a profile without third-party services.

And one more thing to help you. Do you want to make a bomb out of your account, get hundreds of subscribers a day and a flurry of enthusiastic direct messages? Then watch the courses below:

  1. Involving stories on the phone ;
  2. Promotion on Instagram.

Related:
How to recover an Instagram account: proven methods + instructions How to delete an Instagram account: 4 ways from a phone or computer

How to make a business account on Instagram: creating and setting up

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For entrepreneurs, brands and companies, Instagram* provides a special type of page - a business account. I will tell you what an Instagram business account is, why you need it and how to create one.

You can skip the equipment and go directly to the instructions.

What is an Instagram* account for business

A business account is a professional account designed for users who want to promote their products or services. A profile for business differs from a regular account in an expanded set of tools for working with content and additional functionality for registering an account.

There are currently two types of business accounts on Instagram*:

  • Author. This option is for bloggers.
  • Company. The account is suitable for companies and entrepreneurs.

At the time of launch, "Author" differed in functionality and statistics. Now the functions of "Author" and "Company" are almost the same.

In addition, during the process of creating a business account, the user will be prompted to select a category. At the moment there are about 1000 different categories. Example:

  • Artist.
  • Fitness trainer.
  • Athlete.
  • Author.
  • Musician/band.
  • Blogger.
  • Designer.
  • Tutor/teacher.
  • Politician.
  • Digital publisher.
  • Editor.
  • Director.
  • Entrepreneur.
  • Model.
  • Public figure.

The selected category or subcategory allows you to more accurately reflect the direction of the user's activity. But you can change the category at any time or completely prohibit its display in the profile.

In fact, the business account type and category don't really matter. Such segmentation is needed to structure all business pages and select the right audience. For example, for users who are interested in fashion, Instagram is more likely to show content from a stylist rather than a restaurateur in the Recommended tab.

Why you need a business account

Business accounts on Instagram* were created to highlight the pages of brands, companies and entrepreneurs and provide them with conditions for active promotion.

A business account allows users to increase brand or product awareness, increase audience coverage and sales, and attract customers through marketing activities.

Sometimes completely unexpected brands are promoted on Instagram — for example, here is the profile of the Saratov Concrete Mix Plant

The Magnit chain of stores is also active on Instagram

Functions and capabilities of a business account

Extended description. On the profile page, you can specify the line of business, address and contact details, link to the site, description. You can add eternal stories that tell about the product, methods of purchase, terms of cooperation, customer reviews. As a result, the visitor can immediately understand what kind of page it is and why it might be interesting.

Convenient communication with the audience. The owner of a business account can add "Call", "Contact", "How to get" buttons to his page. Thanks to this, users can find out the contact details of the company and contact it to make a purchase or ask questions.

Advertising and promotion. You can run targeted ads with custom creatives or promote your featured posts. Moreover, you can run ads both from the Instagram* mobile application and from the Facebook* advertising account.

Statistics analysis. The study of statistics helps to analyze the effectiveness of content, identify errors and develop the right promotion strategy.

There are other equally interesting features available to business account holders. For example, you can create branded content in collaboration with a brand or author. You can create a store and tag products with the Instagram* Shopping tag. You can set up saved answers to frequently asked questions and reply to messages instantly.

How to create a business account on Instagram*

There are two ways to create a business account on Instagram: register a new account with the "business" status or switch your personal account. Let's consider both methods.

If you already have a personal Instagram account, then go directly to "Edit Profile" - here is the required instruction.

Now to the instructions on how to create an Instagram* business account from scratch.

Open the Instagram homepage. To enter the platform, you can use one of three options: "Login with Facebook *", "Register" or install the application and register on a mobile device. The Instagram* app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, the App Store, or the Windows Phone Store. When logging in via Facebook*, you need to log in with your username and password. The principle of registration on the web page and in the mobile application is similar. Select "Register" and move on.

Enter your details in the registration form: phone number, first name and last name. Create a username and password. Click Next. Now you will be prompted to indicate the date of birth, confirm the phone number. We perform these steps - your personal account is registered.

On the recommendations page that opens, click on the avatar icon. Here you can go to the profile and further to its settings.

On the profile page, go to the Edit Profile section.

In this section, you can change or supplement information: add information about yourself, specify the website address and email, change the username. But since we want to change the type of account, we click on "Switch to a professional account" on the left side of the page.

Immediately after the click, a page with the benefits of a professional account will open. Click "Next" and proceed to choose the category that best describes your activity. If you want the category to be displayed in your account, check the corresponding box.

Now you have to choose the type of account - "Author" or "Company". There is no particular difference in terms of promotion and functionality. Choose the type that best suits your positioning.

Check or complete contact information.

Your business account is almost ready. Read the platform recommendations, click "Finish".

Account registration and transition to a business profile completed.

Your blank business account on your mobile device will look like this:

You can now edit your profile. Add a photo and description of your product or service. Create eternal Stories with a list of assortment and terms of cooperation, make the first publications and more. View statistics on account reach and content engagement.

However, in order to fully access the business account functionality and use the promotional features, you need to connect the Facebook page*.

How to connect a Facebook page* to an Instagram* business account

Only a Facebook* business page can be linked to an Instagram* business account. So, start by creating a Facebook business page if you don't already have one. Then you can go directly to the connection.

To connect a Facebook* page to an Instagram* business account from a computer:

1. Go to "Settings" of the company's Facebook page*.

2.Select the Instagram* tab from the list on the left.

3. Next, you will be prompted to select the desired account. Log in to your Instagram business account* and refresh the web page. If successful, you will see that the Instagram account is connected.

In the mobile app, you can link your Facebook* business page as soon as you switch to a professional Instagram* account. If there is no business page, you can create it. Since we previously created a business account without being linked to Facebook, we proceed as follows:

1.Click on the "Promotion" section on the Instagram* business account page. Select a Facebook page* and log in.

2. Read the setup conditions and click "Yes, complete the setup".

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